Flutter
by Hokushin
Summary: Alternate type SM...Makoto just moved to Juuban district Tokyo and is attempting to start her own business


Flutter

(tentative title)

by Hokushin

Ami yawned. Five traumas, three medicals, four hours of sleep and she wasn't even into the fifth hour of her day. Her neck was sore and felt knotted from being bent over patients, charts, notes and everything else the whole morning. The sudden surge of patients ended and Ami was finally able to catch a break. She noted that her hands trembled slightly when she picked up her paper cup of coffee. She opted to skip the tea this morning and dive straight into a caffeine hit. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see a young nurse sliding into the swivel chair next to her position behind the nurses' station.

"Morning, Ichiro!" she greeted the young man. He rewarded her with the infamous grin that set the ladies fanning as he did every morning. Ichiro- a young, handsome, brilliant kid with a knack for giving shots and making children smile. The last fact may be because he seldom acted his own age, preferring to downgrade his status to that of a ten-year old child.

"Dr. Mizuno, you look beat."

She groaned, arched her head backwards, and replied, "I feel beat. Ichiro, you always manage to be upbeat. Can you tell an old lady your secrets?" He laughed.

"You know, Dr. Mizuno, it tickles me to hear you calling yourself an old lady all the time. You're only older than me by a few years." His gaze went from Ami to just past her shoulders prompting the doctor to look over her shoulder as well. She looked just in time to see a plump nurse exit a curtained area in a huff, while loudly proclaiming the threat of calling security. Ami stood up and went to investigate. She motioned for the nurse to wait before calling security, knowing that it may just cause unnecessary anxiety in a room with patients who had enough concerns of their own.

An irritated voice drifted to her ears. "I don't need to be here. I don't want to be here," a female voice growled. "I'm just fine!"

The nurse approached Ami and whispered details about the patient in her ear. "This woman's name is Kino Makoto. Age twenty-seven. She was brought in by ambulance unconscious, but responsive to pain and verbal commands. Minor contusions to the face and abdomen. Laceration to the right forearm on the anterior side. She was in some fight or something. When she woke up, she was slightly incoherent and behaving with an altered mental status." Ami nodded.

"Kino-san, I'm Mizuno Ami. I'm a doctor."

"Let me out." Makoto stood, unsteady at first but she managed to maintain her balance. She took a step toward the exit and stopped, realizing that Ami and the nurse were blocking the doorway. She crossed her arms over her chest. She gave both of them a crossed look.

"Can you tell me your first name?"

"You know it, don't you? She told you," Makoto gestured at the nurse.

Ami gave her an unrelenting stare. "Please, humor me."

Makoto glared for another second before answering, "Makoto."

"Do you know where you are?"

"Of course I know where I am! I'm in a goddamn hospital," she snapped, impatient.

"What day is it?"

"Monday, the eleventh. Good doctor, have I humored you enough, yet?"

Ami contemplated. She sent Ichiro to grab a few documents from the nurses' station. "Kino-san, you know that you were unconscious for an amount of time. We treat any form of unconsciousness very seriously. I would like you consider remaining here so that we can monitor your status. There can be many internal activities in your body that we are not aware of. Since you've made it clear that you desire to leave, and it seems that you are mentally capable- the choice is yours. However, if you do choose to leave, know that if anything in your condition changes, you are welcome to come back."

Makoto nodded brusquely. Ami stopped her again before she could leave.

"If you will- would you please sign these forms, stating your going against medical advice. This is just for administrative purposes."

"And so I can't sue you right?" Makoto commented with a hint of amusement. Ami didn't answer but she managed to catch Makoto's eyes with her own. Ami was concerned- losing consciousness from a blow could be very serious. But if the patient refuses medical care, there is nothing in her power that she can do. As if reading Ami's mind, Makoto stated with much bravado, "I'll be fine. Trust me, I've had worse. I just don't like it here- don't be offended though, doc." The nurse took the signed sheets from Makoto's hands and cleared the doorway, returning to her usual rounds.

Before exiting completely, Makoto threw a 'thank you' over her shoulder.

"That woman…" Ami murmured.

"Is rude," Ichiro added his own discretion. "She could have shown Mizuno-san and little more respect."

Ami smiled at him. She knew he had a slight crush on her and allowed him to indulge and exhibit common acts of chivalry to win her heart. "It's alright, Ichiro. I'd be just as upset if I were held here against my will." As an afterthought, she added, "I might even become combative."

"Doctor Mizuno, _you_ being combative- I can handle; if _she _became combative, I might as well quit this job and save my skull."

Ami frowned at the implication of her being weak. "I'll pretend I didn't hear that," she said in mock anger. Ichiro laughed and then went about his business leaving Ami back to her coffee.

When Ichiro got off of work that afternoon, he found himself walking down one of the livelier streets of Tokyo's downtown, deciding to take a different route to the café he always ate at after work. As he rounded the corner into the street where the café was, something idly caught his eye.

It was an empty store. He remembered that there used to be a small restaurant in that location that ran out of business when public health officials didn't find the restaurant up to standard. That was a month ago- since then, the business space hasn't been occupied until today, or so it seems. The door is open, the windows are spotlessly clean, boxes were stacked neatly against the walls, the tiled floor looked recently polished, and tables were in some form of arrangement in the store. If all these signs didn't say that somebody occupied the store, what will?

As if to answer Ichiro's unspoken question, he heard a voice and footsteps growing louder and they approached the main section of the store from what he guessed to be the kitchen. A woman appeared into view. She was carrying a child in one arm as if the children were as light as a feather; she was murmuring in quiet tones to the child who seemed to be in some distress. Suddenly, the woman turned her attention to Ichiro, who had been standing with his head poked through the doorway for the past few minutes. He immediately straightened and felt like a schoolboy getting caught doing something he shouldn't. He started apologizing when he felt a mental tug pull at him as he studied the woman.

"_Ano_, can I help you?" the woman said guardedly. She set the child down on a counter and smiled when she shoved her face full of mochi balls.

"You- you're that woman at the hospital today, aren't you? Let me see…Kino-san is it?"

"Yes, Kino Makoto. Who are you?"

"Kaneda Ichiro. Can't really say I'm pleased to meet you- you were awfully rude to Mizuno-sensei." He knew he was pushing life or death with this woman, but he couldn't help it. Makoto's reaction stopped his heart- almost.

Makoto's face went beet red and she nervously scratched her head, looking contrite at the same time. "Ah…really sorry about that. I'm really short tempered and I just couldn't be there…so I kind of over-reacted. Sorry."

Ichiro was stunned into speechlessness. This wasn't the answer he was expecting. He expected to lose his brain cells. "Eh- Maybe I did too, just a bit."

Makoto grinned. "Well…I can see that you'd want to protect your girlfriend. Would you like some of this?" She offered him a plate of sweets that she made.

"Ah," he sputtered. "Mizuno-sensei- she's... not my girlfriend!" Confusion crossed Makoto's face and she flushed again in embarrassment.

"Oh! Sorry! Didn't mean to jump to conclusions!"

Ichiro chuckled. "Let's start over, shall we? Kaneda Ichiro- pleased to meet you."

"Kino Makoto- same here. And this," she gestured to the girl on the counter, "is Mayu. She's my special helper today!" Ichiro greeted the little girl who absolutely beamed when he noted how beautiful she is. He then helped himself to the plate of goodies, lest Mayu eat it all.

"So Kino-san, is this place yours?"

"Yep!" Makoto couldn't keep the pride from springing into her voice as she spoke. She patted the counter for emphasis. "This place will be the best bakery-café this side of Tokyo will ever see!" Mayu giggled at Makoto's expression, taking the conviction showing on her face for something that she'd consider a silly face.

"That's great! This place hasn't seen any activity for a month or so. I can't wait to see what the 'best bakery-café this side of Tokyo' has to offer and see if it compares to the best of them," Ichiro said genially.

Makoto looked thoughtful. "How about now? Unless you're busy…"

"No, I'm not busy. I was just about to go find something to eat anyway."

"Great! I don't have much stuff here yet, but the kitchen is definitely up and running. Dishes will be limited…but I think can manage. So Ichiro, tell me what you feel like eating and we'll see what happens."

_14.04.2005_

_I've sold my whole life so I can chase after a dream on a road that led me to Juuban district, Tokyo…_

It was just past five o' clock when Ichiro went on his way leaving Makoto to finish decorating and cleaning. Mayu offered to help arrange tables. Makoto watched the headstrong six-year-old push a table a few feet before it refused to budge. Mayu pushed until her whole body was almost horizontal.

"Hey kid! Don't hurt yourself or your mother will kill me! Then you might never be able to come here again and eat my leftover dessert." Makoto grinned when Mayu dropped her bottom to the ground and stopped her efforts. "Here, you can put one of these on each table. But be careful with them, okay?" Makoto handed her a cardboard box full of crystal candleholders.

"Your mother is awfully late today," Makoto stated, more of an observation rather than an implied question. She got an answer anyway.

"She said she would be. Had stuff to do I guess."

"Well your mother is probably a very busy woman." Makoto smiled. "Come on, let's close up and grab a quick dinner. We'll leave a note on the door so your mother won't think I've kidnapped you."

"Kidnapped?"

"Yeah. I'll explain on the way. Come on Mayu-chan, I'm hungry!"

"Me too!" Mayu enthused.

_What was it that you said? About dreams. Follow them with a passionate heart and they will come true? But…what else- follow too tightly and they will flutter away like a butterfly straining for the freedom of the skies._

Boy! College has dulled my writing. I think my grammar is getting worse than before. Hmm…I am taking a break from Rooftop- as that file is momentarily inaccessible- read- it's on a floppy disk, I don't have a floppy drive. But I promise this fic will be short, sweet and have an ending. ) that's all folks.

01.15.2005


End file.
